THEY are the dads who dressed as Father Christmas and staged a bridge-top protest to get their voices heard.

THEY are the dads who dressed as Father Christmas and staged a bridge-top protest to get their voices heard.

Their national counterparts have pulled off even more outrageous stunts.

The men of Fathers 4 Justice are united in their aims - to win the right to see their children and to see a change in family law so that all parents have a right to do so.

The five fathers who took part in the controversial Santa campaign at the end of last year were yesterday cleared at Liverpool Crown Court of causing a public nuisance after protesting on the bridge over the Strand.

The national group - formed nearly two years ago by Matt O'Connor from Cavendish, Suffolk - has also courted controversy with its outlandish publicity stunts.

But the group has gained momentum - and media attention.

Initially the Liverpool branch started with just three members; today there are nearly 50. Nationally, Fathers 4 Justice has thousands of members.

Father-of-one, Keith Harford is co-ordinator of the Liverpool group. He says: "People need to know what goes on in the family court system. False allegations can be made and as a result a father may be denied access to his child.

"It is so crucial this law is changed.

"In my opinion, the protests which have been staged are the right way to go about things. These are steps in the right direction to raise public awareness of what fathers have to put up with. And there is no doubt that some of our protests have helped some fathers re-gain access to their children." But while the protests may have raised awareness of the group's plight, they have also sparked public criticism.

F4J's Jason Hatch climbed the walls of Buckingham Palace last month and caused a security row; serious security concerns were also raised over the use of purple flour bombs by the group in the House of Commons.

As the law stands, neither a father nor a mother has a legal right to automatic access to their children; their only right is to apply to a court to get it.

"There are no separate rights for a father and a mother - that's simply not in the law," Louisa Cross from the Solicitors Family Law Association explains. "It's the welfare of the child that's paramount."

Although the majority of child custody cases are resolved by the parents without ever reaching court, of the 10% which do end up in court, mothers gain custody in four-out-of-five disputes.

Louisa adds that this is not because a father has less rights, but because it is best for the child.

"More often than not, the primary carer is the mother, and staying with her maintains the status quo for the child's well-being."

Problems arise when the mother has main custody of the child and the father is granted contact by the courts. In some cases the mother will then deny the father access and this is something which is extremely difficult for the courts to enforce.

The SFLA believes more flexible and, if necessary, tougher, sanctions should be introduced if such orders are flouted.

A recent Government Green Paper says judges will be given more power to ensure such orders are respected.

The charity, Families Need Fathers, which helps parents trying to maintain a relationship with their children following a family breakdown, believes it is the culture which needs to be changed, rather than the law.

"At the moment there's institutional sexism and in the courts it is adversarial - the winner takes it all," says Jim Parton, from the charity.

He adds, however: "We're optimistic that things will change --people are starting to listen. There is a widespread understanding that children need both their parents."

Fathers 4 Justice intends its campaign to last three years culminating with the General Election when it is hoped changes in the law will finally be made.

F4J: Making the news > > >>

F4J: Making the news>

February 2003: Fathers 4 Justice is founded by Matt O'Connor from Suffolk.

April 2003: The first Liverpool Fathers 4 Justice protest takes place. Campaigners dress in contamination suits and storm offices linked to the family courts in Dale Street.

December 2003: Members of F4J dress up in Santa outfits and stage a protest on a bridge over the Strand, Liverpool.

February 2004: Members stage a protest demonstration on Clifton suspension bridge, Bristol.

May 2004: Prime Minister's Question Time is disturbed by two F4J campaigners who throwa purple flour bomb from the public gallery.

August 2004: A F4J campaigner climbsa crane at the new family courts development in Tithebarn Street Liverpool.